Students at Louisiana's top public high school rushed to respond after a teacher used a racial epithet in class Thursday (May 4).

Ben Franklin High Principal Patrick Widhalm confirmed the authenticity of several videos that students posted on social media. In them, a white teacher told a black student it was OK for the teacher to use what is universally considered the most offensive slur against African-Americans.

The teacher is a permanent substitute and was not on campus as of 3:30 p.m., Widhalm said. The school is investigating, which will take several days, and will take appropriate action, he said.

According to the video(Warning: the video linked here contains profanity and racial slurs), the teacher said the slur was "a commoditized word" that had been used so many times it no longer held its original meaning. "It's used by everyone," he said.

Ninety seconds later, the teacher contradicted himself twice over. "Nobody uses that word," he said, according the video, and proceeded to use it. He then reprimanded the student, saying, "You cannot go through life and act like a word can affect you."

The exchange infuriated the Franklin student, who cursed repeatedly. "Why can't you understand that ---- is racist for a white man to say to a black man?" he said in the video.

Several students identified the teacher on social media as Coach Ryan. Widhalm would not confirm that but said the school does have a full-time employee by that name. NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune has reached out to that employee, who did not immediately respond for comment.

After class, students came to the principal's office intending to stage a sit-in. That turned into an impromptu, hourlong assembly in the auditorium, Widhalm said.

Students from various backgrounds had "a very good dialogue about the difficulties and the issues that still exist around race, around identity, around the things that aren't resolved," he said.

Videos and photos from that assembly made it to social media as well.

"When you're black, it changes the whole way people perceive you and people look at you," a different male student said in the later video, adding that it was the same for women and people who are gay.

"Realize that it's not just a word when you say stuff like that. Realize all the charges and all the connotations it has in it," he said, to applause. "And just make responsible choices. If you're a teacher and you don't want to get fired, maybe you don't want to say this."

It was the second time in the current academic year that a teacher used a racial slur, students said on social media. After the first, students requested a race relations forum, which was followed by a second forum later on, Widhalm said.

After the latest incident on Thursday, an alumnus started a petition pledging to withhold donations until he saw "meaningful action or change on the part of the school."

The school is a charter overseen by the Orleans Parish School Board. Superintendent Henderson Lewis Jr. weighed in, saying, "I condemn the use of language of a derogatory or inflammatory nature. As educators we must strive to instill respect and sensitivity to others in our students and hold all adults and students to this standard."

Franklin is one of the most diverse schools in New Orleans. The state's October count put it at 16 percent Asian, 31 percent African-American, 40 percent white, 7 percent Hispanic and 6 percent multi-racial. One-third of the students are low-income.

"The school has a strong, diverse population but like society today, we're still coming to grips with how we do that in a way that is ... empowering for everyone," Widhalm said. "These are students who want to be part of a better school, a better society."

The assembly ended with applause, according to a video tweeted by the school's Black Culture Club with the caption, "No Matter How Divided We May Seem We Always Come Together In The End."